In a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), six senators asked that the Protect IP Act (PIPA) vote be postponed until the bill is more thoroughly analyzed and debated, COMPUTERWORLD reports. The letter cites "possible unintended consequences of the proposed legislation, including breaches in cybersecurity," among others. One provision of particular concern would require U.S. Internet service providers and search engines to block access to foreign sites that sell counterfeit products and infringe on copyrighted material by using DNS filtering. Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT), the bill's sponsor, has asked for a more detailed evaluation of the provision. Meanwhile, President Barack Obama's IP, technology and cybersecurity chiefs wrote, "While we believe that online piracy by foreign websites is a serious problem that requires a serious legislative response...we will not support legislation that reduces freedom of expression, increases cybersecurity risk or undermines the dynamic, innovative global Internet."
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